Davao envi groups hope for more inclusive discussion on climate crisis during COP27 in Egypt

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 2 Nov) – Environmental groups in Davao City hope that the gathering of world leaders in the upcoming 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (dubbed as COP27) in Egypt will have “more inclusive” discussions on the climate crisis, including a well-defined plan for the phaseout of coal-fired power plants.

_{A protest in Davao City against coal-fired power plants. Mindanews file photo}

Dr. Jean Lindo, environmental activist who co-chairs “Panalipdan! Mindanao,” told MindaNews on Wednesday that she hopes to see more leaders who are “authentic issue bearers” participating in the COP27 scheduled for November 6 to 18 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

She added that countries must send representatives “who can assert the real essence of sustainable development and inclusive development.”

COP27 will gather world leaders to take action towards achieving the world’s collective climate goals as agreed under the Paris Agreement of 2015 and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) of 1992.

“Enough of incrementalist type of development which is a slippery slope. We do not have the luxury of time,” Lindo said.

While the issues related to climate injustices and their adverse impact on vulnerable communities take centerstage during the conference, she said these are normally tempered with the interests of “corporations and politicians who have stake in the businesses.”

“By this time, I hope that discussions will be more inclusive, and then they must send representatives who are authentic issue bearers who can articulate, and not those decision-makers who may not be able to tell the difference between food security and food sovereignty and be able to authoritatively assert that food sovereignty should be the path to be followed by the Philippine government,” she said.

Mylai Santos, director of Ecoteneo, added that the Philippines must present itself with clean hands as it participates in the conference.

“Let us do our homework and present ourselves there with clean hands. When we negotiate yet we do not ourselves take care of our own backyard, we allow priorities of national government to destroy our remaining carbon sinks – forests, coral reef ecosystem. We end up demanding much for the little we cannot give to our own citizenry and country,” she said.

As part of Aksyon Klima, Santos said she supports calls for the enhancement of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) with targets and timelines for emission reduction of greenhouse gasses, including short-lived climate pollutants, and a well-defined action plan for the phaseout of coal-fired powerplants and transition to renewable energy.

NDCs are “where countries set targets for mitigating the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change and for adapting to climate impacts. The plans define how to reach the targets, and elaborate systems to monitor and verify progress so it stays on track.”

Santos added that she hopes nations deliver on their pledge to set aside $100 billion for developing nations on or before 2025, and establish a “Loss and Damage financing” that is readily accessible to people.

“Where financing must not sacrifice the rights of vulnerable groups and integrity of ecosystems,” she stressed. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)